Snuffer cap assembly



March 23, 1948. WEDEMEYER 2,438,378

SNUFFER CAP AS SEMBLY Filed Dec. 30, 1944 /0 I F/G.3

a 2. i m 3 INVENTOR.

ERIC WEDEMEVER A770 NE).

Patented Mar. 23, 1948 UNIT ED 233813785 SNUFFER GAP ASSEMBLY EricWedemeyer Floral Park,.N.. Y.,.assignor to Hamilton A'rt MetalConnoration; New York; N. Y.,,a corporation of New York" AppiicationDecember-30, 19tl4 Serial-No. 570,518

2 Claims (01... 677i1)' The. present invention: relates to-a snufier capassembly for combustible: liquid lighters.

Most pyrophoric lighters which have a wick are unsatisfactory inoperation because the wick carbonizes and the combustible liquidevaporates easily due to. insufilcient. means for instantaneously andcompletely extinguishing the flame and completely sealing the burner andpreventing evaporation of theliquid" from thewick when the lighter isnot in use. produce a flame for the above setforth reason very often-toomuch wick is pulled: from its holder by the angry user and this onlyaggravatesthe described conditions.

The object of the present invention is to pro vide a snufier capassembly for pyrophoric lighters which eliminates the above set forthundesirable conditions and assures instantaneous snuiiing out of theflame when the lighter is put to rest and also tightly closes the burnerso that evaporation of the combustible liquid is efiectively prevented,and that under all operating conditions of the lighter, also when burnerand shutter ca are badly out of alignment. With the assembly accordingto the invention the lighter can be operated with a minimum of wickprojecting from the burner and that greatly reduces evaporation of thecombustible liquid and burning of the wick itself.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a snufler capassembly which is composed of parts which can be manufactured andassembled at low cost. In the assembly according to the invention theparts which are subjected to wear, such as the spring and particularlythe wick can, can be replaced at any time without dismounting otherparts of the device.

Further and other objects of the present invention will be hereinafterset forth in the accompanying specification and claims and shown in thedrawings which, by way of illustration, show what I now consider to be apreferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows the snufier cap assembly according to the invention insection, in combination with a conventional lighter.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the assembly according to the invention, onlarger scale.

Fig. 3 is a view from below into the upper portion of the assemblyaccording to the invention, looking in the direction of the arrows inFig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view from below into the lower portion and snufier capproper of the assembly according to the Invention.

Because of failure to Referring more. particularly to Fig. I of thedrawing,.numeral l. designates: the burner which has a conicalconfiguration Numeral 2 designatesthe snufier. capprope'r which has. acylindrical-portions for. SittingtightIy on the conical surface o fburner II. Above portion 3 is aspherical-portion 4... Betweenrportions3-and 4 an annular. rim 5. project'si'or seating. the cap on. seat"portion. fi whenthecapisnotlon the burner, The seat: portions 6. extendinwardly from the lower ends of" the legs ofa frame member of invertedU-shaped longitudinal sectional configuration and having two opposedopen sides and being rigidly connected with the inside of the lighterlid 1. Cap 2 is forced to its seat 6 by a coil spring 8. This is theposition shown in Fig. 2. When the lid is closed cylindrical portion 3comes to rest on the cone of burner I and cap 2 or rather its rim 5 isremoved from seat 6 against the pressure of spring 8 which now actsfully to press the cap to the burner. This is the condition shown inFig. 5.

The upper end of spring 8 rests in spring retainer 9 within thecylindrical portion l0 thereof and against an internal shoulder which isformed by the Junction of cylindrical portion In and the smallerdiameter cylindrical portion ll. Portion ll fits into an aperture in theupper transverse portion l2 of the inverted U-shaped frame member whichis rigidly connected with lid 1, and the spring retainer sits on theinside of the transverse portion I 2 by an outside shoulder also formedby the beforementioned junction.

The diameter of coil spring 8 is somewhat smaller than the largestdiameter of the spherical portion 4 of cap 2 and the latter can makemovements about the center of the sphere of which 4 is a portion. Thiswobbling movement is further facilitated by the lateral flexibility ofcoil spring 8 and permits the wick cap 2 to adjust itself on thesurfaces which it has been designed to seal off. i. e. the cone ofburner I. Fig. 5 shows the snuffer cap assembly in operating positionwith the lid of the lighter closed and the cap 2 seated on burner I. Thespring 8 is then compressed and shoulder 5 is off its seat 6.

The inverted U-shaped configuration of the frame member 6, l2 with twoopposed sides open as shown and described makes it possible toinsert-the wick cap. the spring, and the spring retainer laterallythrough said open sides after the frame member has been connected withthe inside of the cover of the lighter, and to remove these parts and,if necessary, replace them at any time without any difficult dismantlingoperation.

While it is believed that the above described embodiment of thisinvention is a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that it isnot desired to be limited to the exact details of design andconstruction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occurto a person skilled in the art.

'with the convex side on the'outside, the other end of said coil springbearing against the concave side of said spherical portion.

2. In a snufler cap assembly for pyrophoric lighters, the combination ofa frame member of inverted U-shaped longitudinal sectional configurationand having two opposed open sides andan aperture in its transversportion and inwardly extending seat portions at the lower ends of thelegs of the inverted U, a spring retainer having a relatively smalldiameter cylindrical portion extending through said aperture and arelatively large diameter cylindrical portion disposed inside theU-shaped frame member and having a shoulder portion connecting said twocylindrical portions and bearing against the inside of the transverseportion of said inverted U- shaped member, a coil spring having one endextending into said large diameter cylindrical portion and restingagainst said shoulder portion, and

'a wick cap having a cylindrical portion closed atoneend by a sphericalportion with the convex side on the outside and projecting laterallyfrom said cylindrical portion and forming a rim at the outside thereof,said cap being longitudinally slidably disposed between said seatportion and inside said frame member, the other end of said coil springbearing against said spherical portion and tending to force said wickcap out of said frame member, and said rim bearing against said seatportions when the cap is forced to its outermost position by saidspring.

ERIC WEDEMEYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent;

UNITEDSTATES P TENTS Number Name Date 1,925,933 Py Sept. 5, 19332,183,706 Bass Dec, 19, 1939 2,234,298 Bolle Manll, 1941 Belle 0013. 7,1941

